Saint Mary Magdalen

Saint Mary Magdalen

Few painters have a reputation like
Quinten Metsijs. The myths surrounding his person were plenty, and the fact that
so little was known about his apprenticeship period led to much speculation. Prior to 1512, he ran
a workshop that specialised mainly in altarpieces. Later, his artistic preference shifted to
smaller, more intimate paintings, such as this
Saint Mary Magdalen, whom he depicted in an open porch. Her richly decorated surroundings
and attire go back to the Golden Legend, according to which Mary Magdalene was born into a royal
family and lived a life of luxury. Thus, she made the notion of worldly possessions acceptable, and
in this sense she was a source of solace and comfort to Antwerp's middle classes. Moreover, she was
the hope of every sinner, as she too had lived in sin before she met Christ and famously washed his
feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and finally anointed them with her expensive oils.
Going against tradition, Metsijs chose to represent Mary Magdalene not as a sinner, but as an
elegant, worldly woman. She comes to reason, rejects her earthly possessions and opens the ointment
jar, her usual attribute.

Italian influences

Metsijs drew inspiration for this painting from various Italian Renaissance examples. Their
influence is recognisable throughout the work: in the attire of the saint, in the architecture, and
in the use of perspective in the background.